Jajpur/Bari: This year’s flood has been the most devastating in this district as it has snatched away a year’s food reserve of the residents with over 75,737 hectares of farmland getting submerged and sandcast in the floodwater, a report said.
The Bari block with 29 panchayats has been severely hit by flood. Over 4,000 hectare of farmlands are lying submerged alone in Gamu, Serpur, Mandari, Ratnagiri and Chandanpur panchayats of the block.
As a result, the paddy saplings have got rotten or buried under heap of soil and muck on the farmland. Residents said that the loss is so glaring that the poor farmers will not be able to make up for the loss no matter how much effort they put up to recover from the loss.
The farmlands are still lying submerged in floodwater despite water level declining in Brahmani and its distributaries. Many have been rendered homeless as the flood has washed away their thatched and mud houses. There are even several panchayats which are still lying inundated in floodwater. Lack of drinking water and power supply is what that has been hitting the flood-hit residents the most.
The flood occurred in the district due to incessant rainfall lashing the district from August 15 to August 20. Over 75,737 hectares of farmland have been either submerged or sandcast in the district.
Farmers do not have any food stock at home or crops on their farmland as they had invested all their earnings from last year’s paddy sale on their cultivation. Many of the farmers have borrowed from banks and local moneylenders to raise their crops. The crop loss has pushed them into distress as they ponder over how to repay their loan.
The migrants who were working outside have comeback after the government imposed lockdown following COVID-19 outbreak in the country. All their dreams have been shattered as managing their family is the main concern for them. Moreover, leaving home to work outside is not possible for them as COVID has put a spanner in their movement.
When contacted, Bari BDO Sibananda Swain said that relief distribution work has been expedited in the flood-hit areas of the block.
PNN